Mr. James Collin Dong, Sr., 96, died on September 18, 2014 at St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, NJ.
Services will be held in the Prout Funeral Home, 370 Bloomfield Ave., Verona on Saturday, September 20 at 11:30 a.m. Visiting on Saturday from 9 to 11:30 a.m.
Born on July 13, 1918 in Beverly, Mass., Mr. Dong lived in New York City before moving to Verona in 1951. While at Styvesant High School he played football but Boy Scouting and the pioneer world of flight were his passion. With degrees from Fordham University and New York University, Mr. Dong entered Stevens Institute of Technology, while employed by the John A. Millar Laboratory Associates Inc.,where he invented the “Observoscope” navigation device.
He married his childhood sweetheart, Grace, and then embarked on a 35-year career at Curtiss-Wright Corporation. While there he teamed under Werner Von Brann in the David and Goliath ICBM project, worked on the Wright Patterson AFB R’engineer projects, served as analysis manager of the submarine power plant at their facility, and on the X-19 crafts for the V/Tol Division.
The secret security requirements from Alein “Q”, “L” level-7 and DOD Command Authorization under the consent of use of classified materials prohibited Mr. Dong from vacationing outside the continental U.S., allowing him time to mentor youths as a BSA Troop 2 – Verona committeeperson and fulfill his lifelong Scout Promise – “to do his duty to God and country, help others and remain morally straight.”
He was a member of the National Society of Professional Engineers, New Jersey Society of Professional Engineers and Society for Experienced Stress Analysts.
Mr. Dong was predeceased by his wife Grace M. Dong. He is survived by his sons, Robert, Fred and James, Jr. and his granddaughter, Stacey Miskell and great-granddaugher, Ivy.
In lieu of flowers, donations to the Verona Rescue Squad would be appreciated.
